Old Cholesterol Warnings Steeped in ‘Soft Science,’ May Be Lifted in U.S.

High cholesterol levels can lead to a build-up of plaque in the arteries, which can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. (iStock photo)

High cholesterol levels can lead to a build-up of plaque in the arteries, which can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. (iStock photo)

(CBC News) – For decades, health organizations and governments have encouraged people to limit how much fatty foods they eat. Now, it looks like the U.S. government is slowly retreating from its low-fat diet crusade to realign its views with modern science.

Every five years, the U.S. government issues updated dietary guidelines and will release new ones this year. In a preliminary report in December, an advisory panel said dietary cholesterol is no longer “considered a nutrient of concern for over-consumption,” and that finding is expected to be part of its new guidelines, which are expected shortly.

The last set of guidelines, issued in 2010, instructed people not to consume more than 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol daily.

Dietary cholesterol comes only from animal products — like eggs, dairy, fish and meat. But the body also makes cholesterol, a waxy substance that can clog arteries, from certain types of fat and the health concerns about ingesting too much saturated and trans fats in particular are still in place.

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